High speed uncoiler



Jan 23 Filed Feb. l2, 1959 E. J. CRUM HIGH SPEED UNCOILER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR.

E. d. C RU M ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1962 E. J. cRUM HIGH SPEED UNCOILER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l2, 1959 INVENTOR. E J. CR U M ATTORNEY Jan. 23

, 1962 E. J. cRUM 3,018,066

HIGH SPEED UNCOILER Filed Feb. 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5.

F.IG.8.

INVENTOR E .J. CRUM ATTORNEY t tes This invention relates to uncoilers and it is more particularly concerned with apparatus for uncoiling strands of elongated materials arranged in coil form, especially stiff elongated materials, such as wire of various types and sizes.

An object of the invention is the provision of means for uncoiling materials of the type mentioned at high speed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an uncoiler having means for supporting a irst coil of material in an operative position for immediate uncoiling, and means for supporting a reserve coil in a different position and transferring it to the position of the rst coil, after the rst coil has been uncoiled.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a high speed uncoiler in compact form and which is capable of uncoiling successive coils of material without interruption.

These and still further objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment along the line 1-1 of FIG. 2, with two coils disposed therein.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment with alternate positions of certain moveable members shown in broken lines.

FG. 3 is a plan sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view along the line 4 4 of FIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the embodiment along the line 5- 5 of FIG. 2, partly broken away.

FlG. 6 is an enlarged view in section of the lower portion of the inverted frustro-conical cone as shown on a smaller scale in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a sectional View along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views along the lines 8-8 and 9 9, respectively, of FIG. 3.

Referring with more particularly to the drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the embodiment illustrated comprises a horizontal table 11 supported on legs 12.

The table 11 is adapted to carry a coil 13 of wire or other elongated material to be uncoiled. The center of the table is provided with an opening 14 and below this opening there is disposed an empty inverted hollow truncated member 1S. The upper end of the truncated cone is provided with a ilange 16 which rests against the bottom of the table and is secured thereto by welding or any other suitable means.

The coil 13 is normally disposed concentrically of the opening 14, as shown, and is maintained in this position by a group of four stanchions 17, 18, 19 and 20, the lower ends of which are secured to the table 11 adjacent the zone of support for the coil 13. These stanchions extend upwardly from the table 11, the inner edges thereof sloping outwardly toward the top.

The upper ends of the stanchions support and three of them are welded or otherwise secured to an annular ilange 21 of a hollow cylindrical member 22. The inside diameter of the member 22 is somewhat larger than the outside diameter of the coils to be used with the device. The fourth stanchion 20 is removably disposed between atc-nt Oce Elii@ Patented Jan. 2?), 1962 the table 11 and ange 21, by means of upper angles 23 and 24 which straddle the upper end of the stanchion Ztl and are secured to the flange 21 by rivets 25, and lower angles 26 and 27 which straddle the lower end of the stanchion 20 and are secured by rivets 2S to the table 11, as shown. The stanchion Ztl is removably held in position between the angles by removable bolts 29 and 30, or by any other suitable means.

Between each consecutive pair of the stanchions there is disposed a horizontal linger 31. These lingers are pivotally connected medially to the flange 21 by pivot bolts 32 and are adapted to support a reserve coil 33 directly above the coil 13. ln their positions of support, the inner ends of the lingers 31 extend radially as shown by the full lines in FIG. 2. The outer portions extend radially beyond the outer edge of the flange 21.

The release positions of the lingers 31 are shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2. They are moved between the release and support positions by any suitable means, such as hydraulic jacks 34. The cylinder of each jack is secured to the flange 21 and the outer end of its ram 35 is pivotally connected to an adjacent linger 31 by means of a pivot pin 36.

The hydraulic jacks 34 are all connected for simultaneous operation in a hydraulic system that includes hydraulic cables 37 and a master cylinder 38 diagrammatically shown in FIG. 2.

The device is used by rst placing the coils 13 and 33 in their respective positions as shown in FIG. 1. To place the coil 13 in position, the stanchion 2li is first removed by removing the bolts 29 and 30 to permit sliding the stanchion out between the angles 23, 24 and 26, 27. The coil 13 can then be disposed in place and the stanchion 2t) replaced.

The upper end 39 of the coil 33 is then joined to the lower end 40 of the coil 13, such as by soldering, welding, etc. The upper end of the coil 13 is then passed downwardly through the opening 14 and through the inverted cone member 15. At the bottom of the member 15, a hollow cylindrical tip 41 is integrally connected. Within Y the tip 41, a die 42 is disposed having an aperture 43 at the virtual apex of the truncated cone 1S. The coil end is passed through the aperture 43, then over a swiveled sheave 44 below the bottom of the tip 41, and then upwardly and outwardly over a stationary sheave 4S on one of the legs 12. The sheave 44 is carried between cheek plates 46, 47 on an adjustable bracket 4S that is rotatably carried on the tip 41 and supported by an end cap 49 at the bottom of the tip 41. The bracket 48 is releasably secured in adjustable positions by means of a set screw By these adjustable means, the relative angular positions of the sheaves 44 and 4S may be changed to impart twist to the material to a degree to cause the partially unwound loops in the cone 15 to balloon out and lie against the inner surface of the cone.

After passing over the sheave 4S, the uncoiled material is fed to any operation desired, such as a machine (not shown) for manufacturing products from the material.

Although other types of coils may be used it is preferred that the coils be of the type comprising, generally, a coreless coil formed by eccentrically displaced loops arranged in a spiral pattern as shown in FIGS. l and 2.

The device has an important advantage over prior types of uncoilers in which the uncoiling is effected by an upward movement, because such upward movement results in a group of suspended loops in various degrees of uncoiling. These suspended loops have a tendency to llip" which results in snarls and tangles. In accordance with the present invention, there are no such suspended loops outside the member 15 and those that are within the said member 15 are not subject to flipping because, due to Y; the weight of the material and the twist that can be imparted thereto by the adjustment of the sheave 44, the loops rest on the inner wall of the member 15. This makes it virtually impossible for a snarl or tangle to develop.

When the lower coil 13 is exhausted or about to become exhausted, the fingers 31 are actuated to the non-support or release position by the hydraulic jacks 34. The reserve coil 33 then drops down to the table 11 between the stanchions 17, 13, 19 and 20 and are guided to the proper position by the sloping inner edges of the stanchions.

The fingers Si are then returned to their support positions by the hydraulic jacks and a fresh reserve coil disposed thereon and connected to the dropped coil as previously explained relative to the coils 13 and 33.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An uncoiler comprising a hollow truncated cone member, means supporting the member in a stationary inverted position, means for supporting a first coil of material to be uncoiled above said member, and means for releasably supporting a reserve coil of material to be uncoiled in spaced relation above and independent and free or" the first coil.

2. An uncoiler comprising a hollow truncated cone member, means supporting the member in a stationary inverted position, means for supporting a first coil ofV material to be uncoiled above said member, means for guiding uncoiled portions of the material from the bottom of the member, and means for releasably supporting a reserve coil of material to be uncoiled in spaced relation above and independent of the first coil.

3. An uncoiler comprising a hollow truncated cone member, means supporting the member in an inverted position, means for supporting a first coil of material to be uncoiled above said member, means for guiding uncoi'ied portions of the material from the bottom of the member, means for releasably supporting a reserve coil of material to be uncoiled in spaced relation above and independent of the first coil, and means for guiding the reserve coil to the position of the first coil, when the said support means are released.

4. An uncoiler device comprising a table for supporting a coil of material to be uncoiled, said table having an opening therethrough for the passage of partially uncoiled portions of material downwardly from the coil, an inverted hollow truncated cone member secured to the bottom of the table about said opening to receive said partially uncoiled portions, said cone member serving to gradually uncoil fully the partially uncoiled portions as they move downwardly therein, and means for guiding away `from the member material in an uncoiled state passing through the bottom of the member.

5. An uncoiler device as defined by claim 4, and means for releasably holding a reserve coil of material to be uncoiled in spaced relation above and independent of the first.

6. An uncoiler as defined by claim 5 and means for guiding the reserve coil from its releasably supported position to the position of the first coil on the table.

7. An uncoiler device comprising a table for supporting a coil of material to be uncoiled, said table having an opening therethrough for the passage of uncoiled portions of the material from the coil, an inverted hollow truncated cone member secured to the bottom of the table about said opening to receive said uncoiled portions,

means for guiding away from the member said uncoiledv portions passing through the bottom of the member, means for releasably holding a reserve coil of material to be uncoiled above the first coil, said releasable means comprising a group of pivoted fingers, and means for simultaneously actuating said fingers.

8. An uncoiler as defined by claim 7 and hydraulic jacks for simultaneously actuating said fingers.

9. An uncoiler device comprising a table for supporting a coil of material to be uncoiled, said table having an opening therethrough for the passage of uncoiled portions of material from the coil as it is being uncoiled, an inverted hollow truncated cone member secured to the bottom of the table about said opening to receive said uncoiled portions, means for guiding away from the member said portions passing through the bottom of the member, a hollow cylinder above said table for containing a reserve coil to be uncoiled, stanchions supporting said cylinder above the table, a group of fingers pivoted to the cylinder for supporting the reserve coil therein, and means for selectively actuating said fingers simultaneously to release the support of the said reserve coil.

10. An uncoiler as defined by claim 9 in which four stanchions are provided, and in which one of the stanchions is removable to permit insertion of a coil of material sideways between the stanchions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

